how to rinse with an airsource II

[farmerstephen13]

Ive just started using an airsource II on my BCD, how do you rinse them, is it safe to put the garden hose into the mouth mouthpiece to wash inside the BCD? thanks for the help

 

[Pudsky]

Yep, it sure is. Just be sure to always put the cover on the air inlet immediatley when you remove the low pressure hose. I say immediately so it is not forgoten later. That is where you don't want water to get in.

 

[redacted]

Yep, it sure is. Just be sure to always put the cover on the air inlet immediatley when you remove the low pressure hose. I say immediately so it is not forgoten later. That is where you don't want water to get in.

The inlet cover should be removed for rinsing and soaking. Salt water trapped inside the inlet may cause corrosion and damage. Clean (soak) it and the rest of your BCD in clean fresh water and dry it well before storage.

The cover is useful in keeping salt water out and in protecting the sealing surface from damage. Clean fresh water is a good thing as long as you shake out any remainder and dry it well.

 

[Pudsky]

If you don't cover the inlet when the LP hose is removed, then water will get inside the breathing parts of the regulator. How is that a good thing? I have always been instructed to keep that fitting sealed when not connected to the LP hose.

 

[Fishpie]

Most any 2nd stage would probably benefit from a fresh water soak.....1st trick to cure a slight free flow is to slosh the 2nd around in a bucket of fresh water with the purge button pressed...there might be crusty salt on the orifice.
....do this unpressurized with the 1st stage higher than the 2nd, then pressurize and purge any water out.

 

[eelpout]

The best way to rinse your airsource is to do it at the same time you rtince your regulator. Attach the reg to the airsource and deflate the bcd and soak the reg and BCD. If you carry your reg still attached to the BCD, just drop the whole thing in the rinse tank. If the rinse tank is too small , then I would suggest the above mentioned procedures.

At any given time if he suspect that salt water has entered the inlet, run fresh water through the inlet while purging the air source. Then hook up the reg to a tank, attach the air source and pruge it 8- 10 times. This procedure would first rinse and get rid of any saltwater, and the purging of the air blows out any remaining water that could still contaminate the 2nd stage.

I have been rebuilding these systems (Scubapro Air 2, SeaQuest Air Source) for many years. I have seen some of them go brand brand new to "have to replace 75% of the metal parts" in less that three years.

Tobin at DSS sells a hose atachment that allows you to rinse you Airsource/ power inflator real easily. I have one and I use it on all our inflators (wive's, daughter's) after a salt water trip.

Jim

 

[pjhansman]

If you don't cover the inlet when the LP hose is removed, then water will get inside the breathing parts of the regulator. How is that a good thing? I have always been instructed to keep that fitting sealed when not connected to the LP hose.

If you use your LP hose to inflate a dSMB (as some do) then you're pretty much committed to salt water getting into your inflator regulator. I pretty much rinse everything with fresh water after the dive.

 

[Pudsky]

Most any 2nd stage would probably benefit from a fresh water soak.....1st trick to cure a slight free flow is to slosh the 2nd around in a bucket of fresh water with the purge button pressed...there might be crusty salt on the orifice.
....do this unpressurized with the 1st stage higher than the 2nd, then pressurize and purge any water out.

The best way to rinse your airsource is to do it at the same time you rtince your regulator. Attach the reg to the airsource and deflate the bcd and soak the reg and BCD. If you carry your reg still attached to the BCD, just drop the whole thing in the rinse tank. If the rinse tank is too small , then I would suggest the above mentioned procedures.

At any given time if he suspect that salt water has entered the inlet, run fresh water through the inlet while purging the air source. Then hook up the reg to a tank, attach the air source and pruge it 8- 10 times. This procedure would first rinse and get rid of any saltwater, and the purging of the air blows out any remaining water that could still contaminate the 2nd stage.

I have been rebuilding these systems (Scubapro Air 2, SeaQuest Air Source) for many years. I have seen some of them go brand brand new to "have to replace 75% of the metal parts" in less that three years.

Tobin at DSS sells a hose atachment that allows you to rinse you Airsource/ power inflator real easily. I have one and I use it on all our inflators (wive's, daughter's) after a salt water trip.

Jim

If you use your LP hose to inflate a dSMB (as some do) then you're pretty much committed to salt water getting into your inflator regulator. I pretty much rinse everything with fresh water after the dive.

These are good things to know. I was under the impression that water should be kept out of the reg. Thanks for the suggestions. I use an AIR2, and will give it a good rinse inside and out from now on. And do it before I break the BCD and tank down.

 

[redacted]

These are good things to know. I was under the impression that water should be kept out of the reg. Thanks for the suggestions. I use an AIR2, and will give it a good rinse inside and out from now on. And do it before I break the BCD and tank down.

Water in a 1st stage is usually not a good thing. Although the first step in cleaning a 1st stage is a good FW soak. The problem really occurs with SW which will get trapped in the 1st stage and cause corrosion and salt deposits. A 2nd stage is easy to rinse thoroughly and dry so not the same problem. Since divers are not expected to know much about their regulators and not expected to do any kind of disassembly or assembly, the caution on water is often applied to a 2nd stage also since it is possible for water to enter a 2nd and travel into the 1st. An octo/inflator is disconnected from the 1st so no problem with water migrating to where it should not be. Inside your Air2 air barrel are a couple threaded connections (metal to metal) that can be harmed by SW. But a good FW soak will remove almost all salt that might get in there (and it does) and just needs to be allowed to thoroughly dry before storage.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

For my Air 2, I try to run water through the inflation port ever time I rinse. I generally try to run freshwater into the Bc via the deflate button, then hang the bc upside down and press the inflate button and allow a good bit of BC rinse water to slowly drain through this port. i figure the deflate button gets rinse well when putting the water in.

When I am done I often hook the regulator up to the tank and blow air through the second stage, through the air 2 and through my dive alert. My air 2 has lasted a long time..If it feels sticky, I give it an extra good rinse and then also shoot some food grade silicone spray down the inflation port.